Highnam, in the county of Gloucefter, Knight; And though he put a high value on the excellent accomplishments of her mind and body, and was fo like Mr. Herbert, as not to govern like a master, but as an affectionate husband; yet fhe would, even to him, often take occafion to mention the name of Mr. George Herbert, and fay, "that name muft live in her memory, till fhe put off mortality."By Sir Robert, fhe had only one child, a daughter, whofe parts and plentiful estate make her happy in this world, and her well using of them gives a fair teftimony that she will be fo in that which is to come. Mrs. Herbert was the wife of Sir Robert eight years, and lived his widow about fifteen; all which time he took a pleafure in mentioning and commending the excellencies of Mr. George Herbert. She died in the year 1663, and lies buried at Highnam; Mr. Herbert in his own Church, under the altar, and covered with a grave-ftone without any infeription. This Lady Cook had preferved many of Mr. Herbert's private writings, which the intended to make public, but they and Highnam Houfe were burnt together, by the late rebels, and fo loft to pofterity. 1. W. Y 4 APPENDIX.-No. I. THE WORKS OF MR. GEORGE HERBERT. I. "ORATIO quà aufpicatifsimum ferenifsimi Principis CAROLI reditum ex Hifpaniis celebravit GEORGIUS HERBERT, Academiæ Cantabrigienfis Orator. 1623." A fhort extract from this Öration may not be unacceptable to the classic reader. "Scio Belli nomen fplendidum efse et gloriofum. Dum "animus grandis fuique impos triumphos et victorias quafi "fræna ferox fpumantia mandit; juvat micare gladio, et mu cronem intueri. "Jam nunc minaci murmure cornuum "Teriet equos, equitumque vultus. "Cùm tamen fplendida plerumque vitrea fint, claritatem fra"gilitate corrumpentia; neque de privato agamus bono, fed "publico; certè fatendum eft anteferendam bello pacem, fine "quâ omnis vita procella, et mundus folitudo. Pace, filii fe"peliunt patres; bello, patres filios: Pace, ægri fanantur bello, etiam fani intereunt: Pace, fecuritas in agris eft; bello, "neque intra muros: Pace, avium cantus expergefacit; bello, "tubæ ac tympana: Pax novum orbem aperuit, bellum deftruit "veterem. ; II. "A TRANSLATION of LEWIS CORNARO'S TREATISE on TEMPERANCE." Printed at Cambridge in 1654, along with Mr. Nicholas Ferrar's Tranflation of "The Hygiafticon, or the right Course of preferving Health, by Leonard Lefsius." To Mr. Herbert's Tranflation is annexed "A Paradox, tranflated out of Italian, That a more spare diet is 'better than a splendid or sumptuous.” III. "HERBERT'S REMAINS; or, Sundry Pieces of that fweet Singer of the Temple, Mr. GEORGE HERBERT, fometime Orator of the University of Cambridge, now exposed to public Light." London 1652. This volume confifts of-1. "A Prieft to the Temple, or the Country Parfon in his Character and Rule of Holy Life; with a Prefatory View of the Life and Virtues of the Author and Excellencies of this Book, by Barnabas Oley." In the fecond and fubfequent imprefsions of this volume is added, "A Preface to the Chriftian Reader," confifting of fix paragraphs, by Mr. Oley. 2. "Jacula Prudentum; or Outlandifh Proverbs, Sentences, &c. felected by Mr. George Herbert." IV." THE TEMPLE: SACRED POEMS and PRIVATE EJACULATIONS, by Mr. GEORGE HERBERT, late Orator of the University of Cambridge. In his Temple doth every Man speak of his Honour, Pfal. xxix. Cambridge 1633." To Mr. Herbert's "Temple" has been usually annexed, a Collection of Poems, entitled "The Synagogue, or Shadow of the Temple." The author of "The Synagogue" is unknown. That he was a Clergyman of the Church of England, appears from Mr. Ifaac Walton's verfes to him. Mr. Granger has afcribed it to Crafhaw, whom Cowley has praised, and Pope has imitated; but whofe compofitions are infinitely fuperior to any thing in this work. He has probably been led into this error from one part of Crashaw's volume of Poems, bearing the title of "Steps to the Temple." That it was not written by Crafhaw, is evident from this circumstance: After his converfion to Popery, he led a moft miferable life abroad, and going to Italy was at length appointed a Canon or Chaplain of Loretto, where he died in 1650. "The Synagogue" was not published till after that period : And Walton exprefsly tells us, that he "loved the author for "his facred poetry before he perfonally knew him; and that now, "fince his personal knowledge of him, he loves him more. "I lov'd you for your Synagogue before "I knew your perfon; but now love you more, "It is fo true a picture of your mind." That it was actually written by Mr. Chriftopher Hervey, I have attempted to prove in another place. It has been already noticed, that his Epigrams on Andrew Melville, entitled "Mufæ Refponforiæ ad Andreæ Melvini Anti-Tami-Cami-Categoriam Ex officinâ Joh. Field, Cantab. 1662," 12mo, are inferted in the "Ecclefiaftes Solomonis," &c. published by Dr. James Duport. During his refidence at Cambridge, he compofed Latin Poems on the death of Henry Prince of Wales; and of Anne, Queen to James I. See "Epicedium Cantabrigienfe in obitum immaturum femperque deflendum Henrici illuftrifsimi Principis Walliæ. Cantab. 1612." And "Lachrymæ Cantabrigienfes in obitum ferenifsimæ Reginæ Annæ, Conjugis dilectifsimæ Jacobi Magnæ Britanniæ, Franciæ, et Hiberniæ Regis. Cantab. 1619." The following letters, written by Mr. Herbert, when he was Public Orator, are in the Orator's Book at Cambridge: 1. "To Sir Robert Naunton, with thanks for fome acts of kindness procured by him from Government to the University." 2. "To Fulk Greville, on the same account." 3. "To George Villiers, Marquis of Buckingham, on his being created a Marquis." 4. "To Sir Francis Bacon, with thanks for his Novum Organum." 5. "To Sir Thomas Coventry, Attorney-General." 6. "To Montagu, Lord Treasurer," and 7. "To Sir Robert Heath, Solicitor-General, congratulating them on their feveral promotions." 8. "To King James, with thanks for a prefent of his Doron Basilicon." 9. "To the fame, with thanks for the prefervation of the river." 10. "To Sir Francis Bacon, on the fame subject." 11. "To Dr. Abbot, Archbishop of Canterbury, against the London Printers monopolizing foreign books." 12. "To Sir Francis Bacon, on the fame fubject." 13. "To Leigh, Chief Juftice, on his promotion." 14. "To Cranfield, Lord Treasurer, on the fame occafion." APPENDIX.-No. II. BORN ANDREW MELVIN, or rather MELVILLE3, 66 ORN on the first day of Auguft, 1545, was the youngest of nine fons of Richard Melville, of Baldowie, in North Britain: These fons were all alive, when their father fell in the vanguard of the battle of Pinkie, on the tenth of September, 1547. Andrew was a ficklie tender boy, and took pleasure in "nothing fa meikle as his book." Having been inftructed in the Greek language by Petrus Marfiliers, a Frenchman and teacher of the Greek grammar, and by "that notable inftrument "in the kirk, John Erfkine, of Don, of moft honourable and "happy memory, he profited fa, that entering thereafter in the "courfe of philofophie within the Univerfitie of St. Andrew's, "all that was teached of Ariftotle he learned, and ftudied it "out of the Greek text, whilk his masters understood not." He paft his courfe in the New College, "tenderly beloved be "Mr. John Douglas, Provoft of that College, and Rector of "the Univerfitie, who would often take him between his legs "at the fire in winter, and warm his hands and cheeks, and blefsing him, fay, My fillie fatherless and motherless child, it's ill "to wit what God may make of thee yet.' Sa ending his courfe of "philofophie he left the Univerfitie of St. Andrew's with the com"mendation of the best philofopher, poet, and Grecian of any young master of the land, and with all possible diligence made "his preparation, and passed over to France." He refided two years in the University of Paris, hearing the lights of the most fhining age, and particularly Peter Ramus, in philofophy and eloquence. He became fo expert in Greek, that he declaimed and taught lefsons, "uttering never a word but Greek with fic "readiness and plenty, as was marvellous to the hearers." From Paris he went to Poitiers, where he regented in the College of St. Marcian three years, hearing the best lawyers, yet always making theology his principal ftudy, to which he was dedicated from his earlieft youth. From Poitiers he went to Geneva, carrying nothing with him but a little Hebrew Bible at his belt. He travelled on foot, as he had done before, from Dieppe to Paris, and thence to Poitiers; for he was fmall and light of body, but full of fpirits, a Many particulars are inferted in this Memoir, on the authority of Mr. James Melville's Diary in MS. in the Advocate's Library in Edinburgh. |